The year-end push is so sweeping that more than 50 percent of all gifts to nonprofits, religious groups and foundations are made during November and December, according to the Colorado Nonprofit Association, a trade group.

However, donors should keep in mind that the Internal Revenue Service made several changes to the tax code in 2005, Leaman said.

This year’s string of devastating hurricanes prompted an increase for the limit on monetary gifts made to nonprofit groups regardless of mission.

In the past, tax-exempt donations were capped at 50 percent of a taxpayer’s gross adjusted income. Those limitations were removed for gifts made between Aug. 27 and Dec. 31.

“That legislation has encouraged some pretty big gifts,” said Sarah Harrison of the Denver Foundation. “It’s another incentive to give.”

Another change in 2005 involved car donations. Unlike in past years, taxpayers must deduct only the gross proceeds from the car, not the vehicle’s estimated value. In many cases, donors will not know how much to deduct until well after giving the vehicle.

Another thing to keep in mind: Monetary or property gifts must be filed on an itemized return.

That means donors who file standard tax returns – about two-thirds of all taxpayers – receive no additional tax benefits for their contributions.

However, a bill currently in Congress could change that by allowing standard filers to deduct charitable donations.

If the bill passes, nonprofits could receive up to $3 billion more annually, said Daniel Boro choff, president of the American Philanthropy Institute.

Nationwide, about 38.6 million taxpayers made deductible charitable contributions totaling $145.7 billion in 2003, according to the IRS.

Of that, $110.3 billion came from cash donations.

Here are several other tax-related caveats to keep in mind when making year-end gifts:

If a donor pledges $1,000 in July but has given only $200 of that gift by Dec. 31, the donor may deduct only $200 on this year’s return.

When a donor gives stock or property, the deduction is usually valued at the fair market value. For stocks and bonds within an active market, for example, the fair market value is the average price between highest and lowest selling price on the valuation date.

For large gifts, anything more than $250, the taxpayer must have a written acknowledgment from the charity.

For property gifts above $5,000, a qualified written appraisal must be obtained.